Traditionally, slatted shutters have been made from wood. There have been a number of previous proposals to substitute other materials, with a view of reducing cost and also in providing some structural advantage, the following being exemplary:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,230,707 (Wallace) discloses hollow slats which are pressed from sheet metal.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,031,013 (Russel) discloses hollow slats that are formed from a pair of plastic sheet members joined together along their edges.
Generally speaking, the means for adjusting wood shutters has consisted of an adjustment rod which is connected to an edge of each slat with a pair of U shaped tacks linked together. Such method of adjustment is not readily adaptable for use where the shutters are made from a hollow non wood-like material. The shutters are normally employed in a shutter assembly in which they are hinged to the jamb of a surrounding frame. Where the shutters are formed from plastic materials, sagging is noticeable over a period of time, and is aesthetically objectionable.
It is an object of this invention to provide slats and shutters incorporating such slats, that are particularly suited for construction from plastic materials.
It is another object of this invention to provide shutters which incorporate means that are particularly adapted to couple an adjusting rod to the slats of the invention.
It is yet another objection of the invention to provide hinged shutter assemblies which include means for reducing sagging of the shutters.